Joshua King

Research Area(s): Dr. King's primary interests are in community ecology, invasion biology, social insects, and conservation science aimed at understanding the ecosystem services of insects.

Research

In my lab we study community assembly and species invasions at multiple scales in the context of natural and human-altered landscapes. One of the overarching themes of the research program is to understand the fundamental mechanisms that drive species invasions associated with land-use changes. In so doing, we hope to improve our understanding of the consequences of land-use change and how events such as species invasions can be prevented or their impacts can be diminished. To accomplish all of this, we use experiments and comparative approaches to better understand the ecology of one of the most abundant groups of organisms on earth, the insects.

King, J.R. and J.C. Trager. 2007. Natural history of the slave making ant, Polyergus lucidus, sensu lato and its three Formica pallidefulva group hosts in northern Florida. Journal of Insect Science 7: 42.

King, J.R. and W.R. Tschinkel. 2007. Range expansion and local population increase of the exotic ant, Pheidole obscurithorax, in the southeastern United States. Florida Entomologist 90: 435-439.

News

Story by Barbara Abney The future of the tiny Florida Grasshopper Sparrow may rest on a hot-water blaster that safely fends off fire ants, which threaten the remaining 100 or so wild sparrows in Central Florida. Jos... Read more

Thousands of scholars from all over the world gathered in Orlando with one thing in common: A love for bugs. The 2016 International Congress of Entomology conference was held at the Orange County Convention Center from Sept. 25 ... Read more

Growing up in a rural community in New England, Joshua King, Ph.D., entomologist and associate professor in the Department of Biology, began his exploration in the life sciences as many children do: outdoors. ... Read more

Recently, ‘UCF’s Ant King’, Joshua King, was featured on FOX for his work with fire ants. Tom Johnson, of FOX35, interviewed King about his fascination with fire ants, how fire ants came to Florida, and even a fe... Read more